To Make a Deal
by Only Sometimes
Summary: In the midst of the last battle, Ginny makes a deal with fate. The only problem is that fate doesn't always stay true to its word.


This is just a random plot that popped into my head, and it's not too terrible, if I say so myself.

It's set during the last battle, but I think that's pretty clear as you read. Review if you'd like, it's essentially up to you.

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Ginny Weasley blinked rapidly at the blinding light all around her, the back of her head aching as she tried to figure out where she was.

"This can't be good," she mumbled to herself, looking around to an immense amount of white. Blinding white, the kind that the sun beats down in the midst of summer on the days that have missed rain for so long it's reached the point of just being a legend, no longer even a memory.

"Miss Weasley," a tall, delicate woman smiled, "welcome to limbo."

She was tall, thin, blonde and dressed in silvery robes that swept the floor below her, and a plain black clipboard in her hand, whether it had any paper Ginny couldn't see.

"Limbo? What spell hit me? I've never heard of one that sends people to a place called 'limbo.'" Ginny said, scanning the surrounding area, but still just finding white.

"You most certainly have," the tall woman laughed, "Avada Kedavra."

Ginny could feel her eyes bulge and then singe from the effort in the light, this was not happening, she should never have left that room, this was not real, this was her being knocked unconscious.

"You mean I'm dead?" Ginny asked, her panic rising.

"In a way. This is limbo, we haven't decided if you're going to stay dead or not. We could just go back and change things, make you survive." the woman calmly explained.

"Look, lady, this is all very interesting, I assure you, but I really need to get back, I have a battle to finish, it's kind of a big one and my entire family and my boyfri--exboyfriend are all fighting, along with pretty much everyone I know, so I would really like to go help them."

The ethereal woman simply scribbled away at her clipboard.

"Hey! Are you listening! I need to get back!" Ginny barked in frustration, her panic continuing to rise.

"Oh, no worries, I am listening. And since you're in such a hurry, we'll go ahead and take you to see the counsel."

"The counsel? I really don't have time for that, please, ma'am, I really do have things to do! Right now!"

"Right this way then," the woman remarked, taking a step to the left and simply vanishing.

"I have been hit with the worlds largest Confundus Charm," Ginny muttered to herself, stepping after the woman, "and will spend the rest of my days in St. Mungo's, convinced I am in this awful white world, yelling at that woman."

It was so subtle, the transition through the step to the left, that Ginny hardly noticed it until she looked up and found twelve stern faces peering down at her. Six men, six women all sitting up at in high seats behind high desks, in black robes with gavels instead of wands.

"I didn't do anything!" she wailed, realizing she was at court.

"Actually," the woman sitting in the highest seat in the middle, with the iron gray bun and the darkest blue eyes possible said, "you did something. You died."

"I didn't do it on purpose!" Ginny retaliated.

"Few do." a kindler, gentler woman sitting to the left of the other with salt and pepper hair and rosy cheeks said with a small smile.

Ginny gawked at all the faces around her, the light shining on them and her so that she couldn't see anything else but the original ethereal woman standing to the right of judges, still scribbling away at her clipboard.

"Can I please go?" Ginny whimpered, the seriousness of the situation hitting her.

"That's what we're here to decide." a male judge spoke this time, with spectacles so far on the end of his nose they looked ready to leap away from him at any moment.

"Right then!" the ethereal woman chirped, "Let's get on with this!

"This is one Ginevra Molly Weasley, born the eleventh of August, year 1981. Youngest of seven, born to Arthur and Molly Weasley, only girl. Dated the boy-who-lived, survived being possessed by one Tom Marvolo Riddle at age 11 and 12, known for saying his name. Plays quidditch, has a powerful Bat-Bogey-Hex, took part in Dumbledore's Army. Chances of importance: 2 to 1, in favor."

"I--I don't understand," Ginny sputtered, feeling very violated at the moment.

"It's simple, dear, we're here to decide if you live." the cheery woman explained, smiling down at her.

"What's the 2 to 1 thing? I don't get it, what's that got to do with anything."

"That's our little rating, quite complicated, won't try to explain it, but it's our way of deciding you're worth sending back." a man on the very end who looked a bit frazzled with his gray hair standing on end stated, looking over notes.

"Worth sending back? What? All of you decide whether I live or die?" Ginny questioned, starting to understand.

"Pretty much." the judge with the spectacles stated.

Ginny felt her stomach flip as she looked up at them, all of them now examining notes, the story of her life no doubt. They were all here to decide her fate, quite literally. These aged strangers, sitting up high to look down on her. Her confidence was gone, but then again, she wasn't sure if she really ever had it.

"Now," the middle, the most important, the sternest judge, started, "tell us why you should live."

And then the world stopped turning, and Ginny Weasley opened her mouth the speak, and croaked a little. Instantly, everyone's pens hit the parchment and started scribbling.

"WAIT! Don't decide on that!" she yelled, her eyes flashing with fear, "I can do better!" Taking a deep breath, Ginny Weasley began:

"I should live because--because I have to! My mum would lose it without me! She's told me so, when she thought I was too small to understand, she used to tell me she was so grateful I had been born, so glad she had her own little girl! You can't take away her own little girl after all this time! You took away her brothers, and that was enough!

"And my dad! He tries so hard to be a good dad, to everyone! And I tell him, I really do, I promise, but I know if he ever lost a child he would blame himself. It would just break his heart. When Mum cries about her brothers, he always holds her and rocks her, and--and apologizes. He always says he's so sorry that he didn't do anything, so sorry that he let her down. How can you let someone like that--someone who cares so much about those he loves lose someone? How can you let him deal with the guilt?

"My brothers, too! They always watch after me, always. Charlie once put Ron and the twins in the cupboard for two hours when they weren't watching me close enough and I fell and hurt my knee. Said that it was their jobs as big brothers to make sure I was okay, to make sure I was okay. They have such a complex, I couldn't break their hearts!

"Especially Ron, you don't understand. He's such a fool, can't figure anything out, but he feels so important when he causes trouble for me, thinks he's protecting me. It's sweet, in his own way. And with a little coaching he might actually take Hermione on a real date.

"I don't know if Hermione will be okay as the only girl. She's bookish, yes, but she still likes to talk about boys sometimes. I even convinced her to wear mascara to class! I know that sounds silly, but outer beauty really does help inner beauty along sometimes. That sounds shallow, I really don't mean it to, but I want Hermione to be seen as more than a bookworm sometimes.

"Luna, too. Yeah, she's a bit off, but she's so sweet. And the people in her house can be so cruel. She just needs someone to talk to, that's all.

"Wait, if I die, then who's going to look after Harry? He's already lost his parents, his godfather, his owl! As soon as someone gets close to him, they die! Have you any idea what it would do to him? I'm the only one who can handle him! I can control his temper better than the others! Who's going to love him? Cho? The girl can barely do some spells, much less deal with complex emotion. Ron can't step in, he can't deal with _any _emotion. And Hermione tries, but she has to look after Ron, who's quite the idiot. But don't kill him either!! But Harry needs me! He needs a family, and I can be a part of that! I am willing to have Harry Potters children! Just, not right now."

"So your argument is that you don't want these people, your family or friends, to live without you." the main judge asked, and Ginny felt heat rush to her face.

"It's not like that, it's just I can't bear to think that they won't be okay. I have to make sure they're all all right."

"We can make a deal then." the middle judge said, raising an eyebrow. "Will you agree to go into the afterlife with the assurance that your loved ones will be all right?"

"Why does anyone have to die at all?" Ginny asked, her voice small, her gut telling her she already knew the answer.

"Because that is the deal. Someone must die, it is fate, we are simply the arrangers, the judges of fate, we do not make it ourselves. Someone must die, and fate has brought you here. Do you agree to go into the afterlife as long as your loved ones will be taken care of?"

"Will anyone else die? Or just me?"

"You will be the only one, the others will be left alive."

Ginny Weasley stood there, the light still shining on her as she thought, her mind racing.

"Fine." she finally said, looking up into the dark eyes of the head judge.

"Fine? You agree to go on without hearing the alternative?"

"Alternative? You'll take someone else?"

"Yes."

"And I'll survive this war?"

"Yes."

"But someone will be dead, and it will be all my fault."

"It is in the hands of fate."

"But fate is now up to me since I can choose if I die or they do. And you said everyone would be okay if I died, so I'll take that path. What do I do?"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! As long as you promise everyone will be okay."

"Then it is decided, Ginevra Molly Weasley will cross--"

"No, no she won't."

Ginny spun around, but the light did not permit her to see who had spoken, although she recognized the voice.

"Fred! What are you doing here?"

"Hullo, Gin-bug. Seems I'm here to 'cross over' as they like to put it."

There was her older brother, the twin with both ears, standing next to her, hands in his pockets very nonchalantly and uncharacteristically calm.

"You can't though, I already made a deal." Ginny pointed out, confused once again.

"I know you did, I listened. They gave me the same option, I die, everyone's okay, or I get to live and someone else gets to come over here. Never said who, though. I was kinda hoping it was a stranger, or a death eater, but it was you. And I've decided. I'm going to be the one to cross."

"Fred! You can't! What about Mum and Dad and oh yeah, GEORGE! You can't leave him! You two have a business to run!"

"He'll be okay, I know he will. But you Gin, you've got far too much responsibility on your shoulders. You're too busy to die, I'll be fine."

"Fred, please! Please don't do this!"

"I'm really sorry, Ginny, I am, you are the best sister I've ever had, and that's counting Ron, but I'll be the one to cross."

"Then the decision is made! George Fabian Weasley will be the one to cross. Miss Weasley, you may go back." and with that, all the judges simultaneously banged their gavels, and a door opened up, which Fred started off to.

"This isn't your fault, Ginny. I promise. I love you, tell everyone I love them too, and take care of George for me, won't you?" he said over his shoulder as he stepped across he threshold.

"THIS ISN'T FAIR! THIS WASN'T PART OF THE DEAL!" Ginny screamed as the door behind her brother closed. She tried to go after him, but the light shining on her kept her from moving.

"Please, Miss Weasley, calm down," the ethereal woman shushed, but the judges took no notice to her.

"BRING HIM BACK! LET ME GO INSTEAD! YOU CAN'T DO THIS, I WON'T ALLOW IT! BRING MY BROTHER BACK! I WON'T FORGET THIS!"

"Actually," the middle judge stated, "you will."

"I WILL NOT! I WILL REMMEBER THIS TO MY DYING DAY AND I WILL COME BACK TO YOU AND MAKE SURE YOU ALL PAY FOR GOING BACK ON OUR DEAL!"

"Miss Weasley! Ginny! Ginny please!"

"Ginny, please! Wake up!" Ginny was shaken awake, the sound of spells whirling around her, and she awoke to Hermione shaking her, trying to pull her to her feet.

"Fred!" Ginny gasped out, not sure why, but that was the first thing out her mouth.

"What? Ginny, are you okay? A spell hit you pretty hard from behind, I was afraid--oh, Ginny, you better go back to safety." Hermione kept trying to help her, but Ginny was now sure she needed to find her older brother.

"Have you seen Fred? I need to know where he is!" Ginny gasped, confused at her own behavior but still determined.

"He's over with Percy, but Ginny, I don't understand--"

"Neither do I, but I just need to know!"

"Ginny he's fine! But please! Get back to safety!"

The pair tried to get away from the battle, Ginny's head still pounding and still not sure why she needed to see Fred so desperately, but she did. It was while being dragged that Ginny saw it happen, as he was laughing at joke from Percy of all people, that Fred went down.

Hermione started screaming, and Percy's rage reached a new point, but Ginny caught Fred's eye at the last minute, and she knew he gave her a look of reassurance, a look that told her he knew, even if she couldn't remember.

So Ginny kept her deal to her lost brother, even though the fates would never let her know it. She was the first one to throw her arms around George after the battle, she watched over him as he tried to readjust, and she put forth an effort more than anyone to get their lives back to normal, to protect the brothers who had once sworn to protect her from any boy she may encounter, especially the friendly ones.

And even though she didn't know why, whenever she thought of her own death it did not scare her, but filled her with a certain amount of righteous indignation. She knew she would not go quietly.


End file.
